Wire clamp or stretcher.



J. M. KLEIN & P. J. SPIES.

WIRE CLAMP 0R STRETCHER. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 15, 1907.

Patented-July 20, 1915.

COLUMBIA FLANODRAPH (20., WA

lz u e nforoz' m g f/. Alf/d SHINGTON, D c.

Cook, and State of Illinois,

'srAES nrnna ennre JOHN M. KLEIN AND PHILIP 5T. sPIEs, on CHICAGO, ILLInoIs; SAID SPIES AssIGNoR rrosAIn KLEIN.

WIRE CLAMP OR STRETCHER.

To all whom it may concern Bc'it known that we, JO N M. KLEIN and PHILIP J. Srins, citizens of the United States, and residents of Chicago, county of have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire Clamps or Stretchers, of which we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification.

The present invention has for its object to provide an-improved construction of wire clamp or stretcher of that type in which the clamping jaws are actuated-by inclined or wedge shaped parts to cause the jaws" to firmly grasp the wire to be stretched} Wire stretchers or clamps have heretofore been formed with jaws actuated by inclined guides so as to cause the jaws to approach each other in order to grip the wire but one difiiculty encountered with this type of wire stretchers is that the friction incident to the movement of the jaws along the inclines was so great as to frequently cause thewire to be pulled or stripped fromthe awe.-

One main object of our invention is to provide a wire clamp in which the jaws are actuated by inclined guides so that anniform bearing ofthe jaws upon the wireis secured and so that the friction betweenthe j aws and their actuating wedges is reduced to such extent that the pulling. or stripping of the wire from the jaws will not occur.

The invention consists in the features of novelty hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing and particularly pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

Figure I is a plan view of a clamp embodying our invention. Fig. II is a view similar to Fig. I with the retaining plates removed. Fig. III is a view in transverse section on line 33 of Fig. II but showing the clamp plates in position. Fig. IV is a view in section on line 4% of Fig. II. I

2 designates the body portion'of the jaw which may be of any suitable construction, this body portion being provided with the guides 3 having inclined inner edges that are provided with concave grooves 4: to form channels for the bearing balls 5. Within the space formed between the guides 3 are placed the jaws 7 and 8, the outer edges of which are inclined to correspond with the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 20', I915.

,Appliization filed November 15, 1907. Serial No. 402,253.

inclination V of the guides 3. These outer edges of the jaws 7 and 8 are provided with concave grooves or channels 9130 form guideways for the balls 5. Through each of the jaw members 7 and 8 pass screws or pins 10, the lower ends of which project into inclined grooves 11 that are extended parallel with the inner edges of the inclined guides One or more stop pins12 are fixed in formed in the guides; and these retaining plates overlap the jaws, as shown, and-serve notonly to retain them in position butprevent the'access. of dirt and the like to the bearing balls and their guide-ways: The. corner of one of the retainingplates I5 is cut away as at 18 so as to enjablethe jaws to be conveniently drawn baclrby the handof the operator when desired.

As shown, the ends of the jaws and S are formed with offset portions l9,the ofiset portion ofone of the jaws 7 being securely I riveted to a union plate 20 while the offset portion at the end of the jaw 8 is united by a loose connection to the union plate. As shown, the loose connection between the jaw 8 and the union plate 20 is effected by a pin 22, the end of which projects through the offset portion of the jaw S andthrough a slot formed in the union plate 20, the end of the pin being upset and carrying a washer 21. This union plate insures the unison back and forth movement of the jaws. The inner opposing faces of the jaws 7 and 8 are parallel and are preferably milled or roughened to enable them to more securely bite or grip upon the wire to be clamped. The end of the clamp body may be provided with rings 25 or other devices by which the clamp may be carried or suspended.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that when a wire 30 (indicated by dotted lines) has been placed between the the jaws will tightly bind upon the wire and as tension is exerted upon the wire, the jaws will be moved outward and will be forced by the inclined guides firmly against the wire. The ball bearings interposed between the wedge shaped jaws and the corresponding inclined guides relieve the friction between said parts so that all danger of the wire being drawn or stripped from the clamp is avoided. V a

It is manifest that the precise details of construction above set out may be varied without departure from the spirit of the invention. Thus for example, it is not essential that the inclined outer edge portions of the jaws shall be formed integral with the edges and outer, longitudinally grooved 1n-v 'clined edges, rows of contacting bearing balls interposed between andretained in the longitudinally grooved edges of said guides and said aws, PlIlSOIl said jaws engaging the end balls of each row and retaining said balls against longitudinal movement relatively to said jaws, said body portion having inclined grooves in its side face parallel with the inclined edges of said guides, pins ex- Gopies of this patent may be' obtained for tending through said jaws and engaging said grooves, and retaining plates detachably se'cured to said guides and overlapping saidjaws, the inner edges of said spacing plates being spaced apart whereby said jaws are open throughout their length to admit a length of wire laterally between the same, substantially as described. 1

2. A wire clamp comprising a body portion having raised guides at its side edges, said guides being provided with inclined edges, a pair of wedge-shaped clamping jaws seated on the face of said body portion and having inner, parallel, wire-engaging edges and outer, inclined edges opposed to the inclined edges of said guides, said body portion having inclined grooves in its side face parallel with the inclined edges of said jaws and guides, pins extending through said jaws and engaging said grooves, retaining plates detachably secured to said guides and overlapping said jaws, and a member eX- tending beneath the outer endsof said jaws,

said member being rigidly secured to one of said jaws and having a transverse pin and slot connection with the other of said jaws for producin simultaneous movement of said jaws,.sai retaining plates being spaced apart at their inner edges whereby said jaws may be opened throughout their length to length of wire laterally, between dm a them, substantially as described.

. JOHNM. KLEIN.

PHILIP J. sP ns;

GEORGE Witnesses: P. FISHER, J12, KA HARIN GERLAOH.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of I Patents.

Washington, D. G. v r 7 

